WTTA

WTTA, virtual channel 38 (UHF digital channel 32), is a MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station serving Tampa, Florida, United States that is licensed to St. Petersburg. The station is owned by Media General, as a part of a duopoly of NBC affiliate, WFLA-TV channel 8. WTTA maintains studio facilities located on Bald Cypress Place in Tampa, and its transmitter in Riverview. On cable, it is available on Bright House Networks and Knology channel 6, and on Comcast on channel 11 in Sarasota County and channel 29 in Hardee County.

Background

The UHF channel 38 allotment in the Tampa-St. Petersburg market had previously been home to the area's first television station, WSUN-TV, which operated from 1953 to 1970. That station had served as the area's original ABC affiliate until WLCY (channel 10, now CBS affiliate WTSP) signed on in 1965, effectively resulting in WSUN becoming an independent station until it went dark in 1970.

History

In 1986, a local group won a new license to operate a station on UHF channel 38. WTTA affiliated in September 1990 with the Star Television Network, which offered a mix of older programming and infomercials. That month, there was also an ad for "TV Heaven 38" in the Tampa/Sarasota edition of TV Guide; however, the station was not ready to broadcast yet since Star was in financial trouble and the network went dark on January 14, 1991. The construction permit was then sold to Bay TV, which was owned by the Smith family, including David Smith of Baltimore, the owners of Sinclair Broadcast Group making the station a subsidiary of that company.